Warmth
by LittleMissMadness
Summary: She didn't expect love. How could she when she was never shown a bit of it from her own parents? As she is forced to marry a man she thought was just as cold as the rest, she finds the warmth she had been searching for all her life.


It had been made clear her parents wanted a son, an heir. Her sister Daphne had been handed over to the house elves the moment she had been declared female, and two years later the same had occurred to Astoria. They had been dressed in lavish robes like any other pure-blood child, their hair perfectly coiffed, and their manners impeccable. They were things to be put up for display, nothing more and nothing less. The sisters would curtsey gracefully and wait poised for further instruction.

"They're perfect," people would coo at them, petting them as if they were pets.

Astoria rarely saw her parents. Her father was consistently traveling for the Ministry and her mother just wasn't there, simple as that. The few times she was allowed in her mother's presence, she saw the distaste in Ravenna Greengrass' eyes for her. The woman had lost her husband's admiration, and not even naming Astoria so similarly to him had washed away the look of disappointment that had filled his gaze on the day of Astoria's birth. Aster wanted a son not another daughter, no matter how beautiful the child was.

Daphne freed herself when she married Theodore Nott. He had always been kind to the Greengrass sisters, helping them study and caring for them when the war had scared them all. Astoria supposed the two had much in common, both heirs to parents that barely cared for their existence. Theodore had taken Daphne to live in France, and then she was more alone than ever.

On the brink of turning seventeen, her parents had announced her engagement to the Malfoy heir. They hadn't asked for her opinion, hadn't even cared for what she wanted.

"I'm only sixteen," she had pleaded to them.

"You've already graduated Hogwarts, Astoria, and in a month you'll be seventeen. I was already married at your age," her mother replied while sipping on her tea.

"I don't know him," Astoria tried to reason.

"He's a pure-blood and heir to one of the most important families in the wizarding world, what more do you need to know?" Aster asked his youngest, his green eyes cold.

Ravenna nodded at her husband's words. "Others would be dying to be in your place, darling. The Malfoys may have been on the wrong side of the war, but they are still a very powerful family and power is important in our world."

"Why me?" Astoria whispered.

"Because you are a Greengrass," Aster stood from his seat, "you have a responsibility to this family, child. I allowed Daphne her silly romance, but you will marry Draco."

Astoria felt her eyes water as her father walked out of the room. She felt – to her surprise – a kiss on her dark hair. Turning, she met her mother's teary blue eyes.

"Life isn't always fair, my sweet girl," Ravenna murmured softly, running a hand down her child's face. "At least you'll be free from us."

Astoria sobbed, throwing herself into her mother's arms. Ravenna responded a moment after, hugging her close just as she had always wanted to, but just as quickly she pulled away.

"The Malfoys will be here soon to see over the contract. Try to look presentable."

The wedding took place a week before her birthday. The affair had been grand as was expected from the two families, no expense having been spared. She looked breathtaking in such a stunning gown with butterflies fluttering across her back, and even someone as cold as Draco couldn't deny how striking his new bride was. He supposed his parents could have forced him to marry someone less than appealing, at least he wouldn't mind having sex with her.

The wedding night was not something she had been looking forward to. As a pure-blood lady she had been instructed to save her virtue for her future husband and indeed Astoria had, but she had thought she would be with someone she at least liked.

She shivered as he began removing her lace negligee, running open mouth kisses down her swan-like neck. When he pushed her gently onto the bed, she lay as stiff and as delicately as a doll. He sat on the bed next to her naked body, one hand skimming over her figure while they took a moment to observe one another. Shocking herself, she slowly unbuttoned his black shirt with nimble finger before pushing it off of him and somewhere onto the floor, his silver eyes never leaving hers.

"Kiss me," he commanded.

Astoria's hands crept up the sides of his arms and neck until she was holding his face in them. She searched his eyes for something – she didn't know what – before capturing his lips with her own. It had been her first kiss and soon after she had been his for the first time. He had kissed away her tears as he broke through her virginity, lavished her body with more affection than she was capable of handling, and he had held her when she feared her climax. His strong body warming hers with every thrust, her nails digging into his back as she was embraced for the first time in her cold world. When he finished, he didn't call her beautiful or whisper sweet nothings in her ear, she didn't need him to. All he did was hold her, and to her that meant more than he could ever imagine.

As they got used to each other, Draco slowly began to realize she was just as broken as he was. Perhaps she had never been a part of the war – her family having claimed neutrality – but she too had her own demons. He saw the way she flinched when she made too much noise as if he would grow angry with her. Noticed the stiffness of her body before he claimed her as if waiting for him to inspect her and find her lacking. Above all, he noticed how she didn't know what to do with herself when touched with affection and for the first time in his life, he pitied someone that wasn't himself.

Draco couldn't save her from her past or their cold existence, but he would bring life into her emerald eyes. She was a beautiful girl and she deserved a beautiful life.

On their return to Malfoy Manor after their short honeymoon, Draco was surprised to find his wife missing at dinnertime.

"Where is your wife, Draco?" his father demanded.

Draco watched his mother's lips press together in a thin line, her attention turning to him. "Go check her room," she told him. Narcissa paused for a moment as if considering her words carefully, "Make sure she knows that we expect her to join us for dinner unless she is ill."

He found her eating in the silence of the private room he had given to her. When he repeated his mother's words to her, she looked at him with both surprise and pleasure. It had been rare for her to ever eat alongside her parents and when she did, the silence was deafening. As he observed his wife at the dinner table, Draco realized his mother's words had been telling. Astoria was shy and made as little as noise as possible while eating, her eyes downcast.

He held her more tightly that night. His lips on every inch of her skin – marking her – as he pounded into her small body. She needed this. She needed for him to stake claim on her when no one ever had. She needed to feel real.

Nausea woke her up a month later. Draco had kneeled by her side while she heaved every last bit of herself into the toilet. He pulled back her dark hair, running a soothing hand down her back in what he hoped would comfort her in some way. When she had no more left to vomit, she rinsed her mouth and silently watched as he pointed his wand at her belly. A soft pink glow illuminated the tip and a soft laugh passing her husband's lips, warming her very being.

"No house elves," she blurted out. "I won't let a house elf raise my children."

He blinked in surprise, and she covered her belly with her hands. Astoria's face childlike as she asked him for something so simple, her eyes pleading for him to not abandon their child just like she had been.

Draco placed his hand over hers, caressing the place where their child rested peacefully, and he knew then that he would do anything for this beautiful witch that had slowly begun to worm her way into his heart.

"No house elves," he agreed.

It was at that moment her eyes began to shine with some semblance of life. His promise meant the world to her, and she knew her child would never be ripped from her arms.

The months went by and their baby grew inside of her, kicking every time she spoke or when Draco caressed her large belly. Narcissa helped decorate the nursey and even Lucius offered his opinions on a name fit for the child of such ancestry. Her pregnancy was nothing short of a dream.

When Scorpius was introduced to her family it was the first time her father ever smiled at her. He had petted her head like she were an animal and not his daughter, his gaze on his grandson in praise.

"You did well Astoria," he said.

She tightened her hold on the squirming bundle in her arms, nodding politely at his words. "Thank you, father."

Aster Greengrass shared a look with his wife telling her with his eyes how much of a disappointment she was to him. Their daughter had produced a healthy heir and Ravenna had only gifted him with nothing. Had she given him an heir as Astoria had given Draco then perhaps he would be able to feel more in this pointless world. He hoped his Astoria could be a better parent than he and Ravenna ever could. He hoped Scorpius would be a better man than he ever could.

When their second child had been born a girl, Astoria had hidden herself away in her old room with their daughter. Draco had gone to her this time without needing to be ordered to by his mother.

"I don't care that she's a girl," he told her when he marched into her sitting room. "I'm just happy she's here and healthy."

Astoria clutched the baby to her chest and stared at him with wide, fearful eyes. Draco sighed and got on his knee in front of her, placing a gentle hand on the baby's head.

"Won't you let me see her?" He asked quietly, not wishing to spook his wife.

Mutely, she held out the carefully wrapped bundle and allowed Draco to take their newborn into his arms. He smiled at his sleeping infant, she was just as beautiful as her mother.

"She's perfect, Astoria," Draco murmured softly. "What should we call her?"

"Altais is a star in Draco," she observed quietly.

"Is that a name you actually like, or is it what you think I want to hear?" Draco asked. He looked up at her and waited for a response.

"I like it," she admitted shyly. "I like it because… it's a part of you."

"Altais it is then," he kissed his daughters dark hair.

A couple of months later, both young parents were exhausted. Altais woke up every four hours without fail, and during the day a rambunctious Scorpius took all of their attention. Draco had been so tired he had almost ran into a wall on his way to breakfast.

"Just allow the house elf to care for children," Lucius rolled his eyes from his place at the head of the table.

"Absolutely not," Draco responded automatically. He risked a glance at his wife, and was surprised to find her staring at him with something close to adoration.

"Draco knows what is best for his family, Lucius," Narcissa interjected.

"He looks like he was kissed by a dementor," his father protested.

"Would you please pass the marmalade, Astoria dear?" Narcissa asked with a polite smile.

Astoria passed the marmalade and discussed Scorpius' latest adventures out in the gardens and how fascinated he was as of late with the peacocks with Narcissa. As the two talked, Draco wondered what more he could do make the look Astoria had given him a permanent fixture on her beautiful face.

"What would you like for your birthday?" he asked her a week later.

Blearily, Astoria turned away from her nursing infant and to him. She looked tired and her usually perfect hair was left undone to fall around her shoulders in a wave of curls. Draco thought she had never looked more beautiful.

"Sleep," she replied after a moment with a dreamy smile. "Eight hours of uninterrupted sleep sounds absolutely heavenly."

"Done," Draco promised.

She eyed him doubtfully. "No house elves."

"I promise," he swore to her. "No house elves. What about my mother and father."

"They like Scorpius and Altais," Astoria observed before nodding. "Yes. Narcissa and Lucius can help you."

Immediately, Draco was overcome with hatred for his wife's parents. He remembered the way his mother had held Altais and had looked right at Astoria, telling her how much she had desired a daughter of her own.

His daughter would never know loneliness, he swore silently as he watched Astoria rock the baby to sleep.

A blissful afternoon spent sleeping was just as lovely as Astoria had imagined it to be. She had wallowed in her bed, cuddling up to a pillow and sighing happily. She trusted Draco to keep his word and take care of their children for her.

Stretching leisurely, Astoria smiled at the canopy before crawling out of bed. She took a long bubble bath and scrubbed her skin until it turned pink, relaxing in the warm water filled with all the potions she liked. When her skin began to prune, she dried herself and wrapped herself in a silk dressing gown, sitting in front of her vanity.

She looked much better than she had in weeks. Her eyes were no longer tired and her skin returned to its normal lively tone. She hummed to herself as she brushed out her long, black hair before she picked up her wand and charmed her hair into an elegant, sleek chignon.

"Mummy!"

Astoria smiled at her son's loud voice, only her Scorpius could bellow like that. She turned in time to spot a small, muddy creature come running into her room on chubby little legs.

"Scorpius?" Astoria asked, completely shocked.

"Mummy," Scorpius called out joyfully before launching himself at her.

Astoria caught him with ease and hugged him to her chest, her eyes searching Draco's for a response at the state of their son. Draco looked sheepish as he followed after Scorpius, Altais cuddled happily in the safety of her father's arms. She notice mud on the side of Draco's handsome face, and to her he had never looked more handsome.

"Did you have fun?" she asked curiously.

Draco grinned at her. "We did, Scorpius more so."

"I can see," she laughed. "Where did all the mud come from?"

"The family cottage," he explained. "Mother thought it would be nice to send the day out by the sea."

"Please thank Narcissa for me," Astoria smiled as she brushed Scorpius' hair from his muddy forehead.

"I will," Draco promised.

There was something in Draco's voice that made Astoria look up and her breath catch in her throat. The look in his eyes was one that she had seen Lucius give Narcissa often. A look she never expected to see directed her way.

"Perhaps we can all go together," she suggested softly.

"That would be brilliant," Draco agreed with a tender kiss.

Not long ago she had cried herself to sleep at the thought of being married to him, thought of running away and dreamt of a world where she could be free. She never thought they could ever have something like this. He didn't bring her flowers every day or recite poetry for her, but he had given her so much more. He had given her a home. He had given her their children. He had given her the warmth she craved.

Draco saved her from the emptiness.


End file.
